Metal-bound box.



G. P. FLORA.

METAL BOUND BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1908.

91 8,839, Patented Apr. 20; 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0 I v :J J I v a" o 1 l 1 www.-

rrya Cited G. P.- FLORA.

METAL BOUND BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED nu 21, 1908.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

2 SHBETB-SHEBT 2.

"UNITED STATES rarns'r caries.

CLARENCE P. FLORA, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO RICHARD G. INWOOD, ONE-THIRD TO SAMUEL M. ROB- INSON, ANTD ONE-THIRD TO SAMUEL WHITEHALL, ALL OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

METAL-BOUND BOX.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed may 21, 1908. Serial No. 484,186.

'Inthe construction of metal bound boxes,

it is essential that the expense of manufacture be considered and that the box he composed of light and inexpensive material, such as veneer or fiber board, because the boxes are transported numerous times from one place to another., In this character of box it is customary to bind the sides together and sometimes the ends also with wire, twisting-the ends of the wire together, andthese twisted ends generally form rojections which frequently injure the clot ing and hands of those/whose duty'it is to handle the box.

It is oneobject of my invention to provide a light durable, inexpensive and efficient box Whose parts when assembled are bound together y sheet metal-and wire, the wire reinforcin the metal, and the parts, includin the bin ing elements, being so arranged an' associated together, as to rovide for neat ness in appearance of the ox, and particularly to provide against the possibility of in- Lury to the ers'on or clothing of those who andle the ox in the movement or transportation thereof from-one placeto another. With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts herein-after more fully described, illustrated 'in the accompanymg drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the form, proportion, size and minor details without departing from the s irit or sacrifican of the advantages 0 the invention.

ing

' n t e drawingsz-Frgure 1 is a perspective view of a box constructed in accordance with my invention in condition lor'transportation. .2 is a similar view illustrating the invention prior to the securing of the lid in locked position. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of one corner of the box illustrating my improved means for securing the sides and ends together. Fig. 4 is a detail pers ective view of the metal binding strip with t e reinforcement associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a corner of a box illustrating a modified form of invention. I

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference characters 1 and 2 indicate the ends of the box, 3, 4, 5, and 6 indicating the sides of the box, and for the purpose of illustration, the side 3 constituting the bottom and the side 6 the top or lid of the box. The sides and ends of the box are preferably held together by a metal sheet or strip 7 which is bent intermediate its edges and folded back uponitself with the free edge 8 of the under part terminating short of the free edge 9 of the outer part, the free edge 9 being preferabl bent back, as indicated, in alinement wit the under part. This doubling of the metal strip strengthens it, and at the point where it is bent back upon itself or at its bight portion 10, it receives between its inner and outer parts the binding wire 11 which latter, owing to its disposition between the inner and outer arts of the folded metal strip is concealed. rom view, except at its free ends 12, for apurpose presently ex lained. After the meta strip has thus been ormed and re-. inforced it is riveted or otherwise secured by suitable elements 13 to the sides of the box and to the ends of the box by suitable ele-.

ments 14. The binding stri s are preferably secured to the sides of the ox, in their flat condition prior to assembling the sides with the ends of the box, and in order that the sides may be caused to assume their right ment with the corresponding ends 0 t e sides of the box, I miter the middle stri s equidistant points throughout their lengt as indicated at 15 in Fig. 4, so that as the sides assume their right angle relation-to one another, resulting in a consequent bending of the strips and the reinforcing elements of the latter, the corresponding adjacent Initered edges of the diflerent sides may be thro n into abutting relation, as particuangular relation with one another for en a elarly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. When the sides have been thus assembled, the ends 1 and 2 are laced in position at the respective ends -of the sides and within the metallic binding strips whenthe latter are secured to the outer faces of the ends. The metal ic strips may be secured to the sides and ends by suitable rivets 16 and 17 respectively, or in any other suitable manner.

The side 6, which forms the lid of the box,

has that art of the metallic binding strips secured t ereto not fastened to the ends 1 and 2 until it is desired to ship the box, said side or lid fibei'ng shown in 0 en position in Fig. 2. When the box is rea for shipment the side or lid 6 is brought own to closed relation with the sidesand ends when the free opposite ends of the binding and reinforcing wire 11 will be brought into juxtaposition and when the binding wires and re mforcements 11 may betwisted together, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 1, securing all the sides firmly and rigidly together, and by virtue of suitable fastenings 19 passed through that part of the metal strip which over-laps the outer faces of the ends 1 and 2,

the parts of .the box may be further secured together againstdisplacement, as will be obvious. However, these-fastenings 19 maybe eliminated from the structure altogether, if desired, so that by merely untwisting the op-' -posite ends 12 of the binding and reinforcing Wires 11 the lid part 6 of the box may be quickly opened to ermit of accessto the box. Of course, it is immaterial which side of the box forms the lid part.

From the fore oing, it will be seen that I provide for a trip e reinforcement of-the box, in that I double .the metallic binding strip and. further reinforce the double binding stripwith the wires 11. It will also be seen that. by virtue of placing the binding and reinforcing wires 11 within the double binding strip that the binding andreinforcing wires 11 are concealed completely from view except at one point, and that is where they are twisted together. It is intended that the free ends 12 of the binding and reinforcing wires 11 be twisted together in such a mannor as to obviate rojecting ends,-in which event, in view of t e concealment of the remaininglplpfitions of the wires, there is little,

if any, ood of persons handling the box -to become injured by projections or' have their clothing torn incident to projections. It will also be apparentthat the box is simple and inex 'ensive of, manufacture and that the use 0 separate hinges is obviated incident to themetallic strips forming not only strengthenin' and fastening elements but also performing the function of hinges.

In Fig. 5 whereinthere is shown one side 20 and end 21, the metallic reinforcin strip 22 is formed similar to the metallic remforcing strip hereinbefore described, and it will and reinforcing Wire 23. The material difference between this modified form of strip and that first described resides in the spacing of the inner and outer parts of the strip to provide a space for the slidable reception of the ends 21, by virtue of which, so arate fastenings are not needed to secure t e ends in lace. In this modified type of box it may e readily knocked down or folded by the consumer. The box sides would be folded and the ends inserted in the spaces between the inner and outer arts of the strip, and the reinforcing wires w en twisted, would thus lock the ends against displacement without any securing means Whatever.

It will be added in conclusion that the 'metal strips not only support the box parts in their assembled relation, but they also surround the box with the reinforcing Wires, which latter, as heretofore stated, are held against displacement by the stri s. In frequent uses the hinge points 0 the metal strip break, and the reinforcing wires thus assume the function of a hinge and hold the lid in proper relation with the box, althou h, of course, rior to the breaking of the meta lic strips, if breakage should occur, the strips themselves cooperate with the wires in performing the hinge connection of the lid.

What is claimed is 1. In a metal bound box, the sides and the ends of the box, sheet metal strips each bent .back upon itself to provide a bight portion along one edge, one free edge of the folded strips extendlng beyond the other free edge thereof and a ain bent back upon itself into alinement with said other edge, the metal of each strip thus folded being again bent back upon itself to provide twoangle portions, one portion for engagement with one side of the ox and the other angular portion arranged for engagement with one end of the box, and a binding wire fitted between said bent back portions of the strips and disposed in said ight ortions. I

2. n a metal bound box, the sides and the ends of the box, sheet metal strips each bent back upon itself to provide a bight ortion along one edge, a binding wire fitte in the bight ortion of each'strip, one free edge of the fo ded strips extending'beyond the other free edge thereof and a ain bent back upon bent back upon itsc f to provide two portions arranged at an angle to each other, the angular portions having the binding wires .therein being disposed upon the sides of the box and the other an lar ortion being disposed against the en s of t e box.

3. A metal bound box com rising sides and ends, and metal strips eac bent back n on itself to provide a single bight portion i box, and a binding Wire fitted in each bight a ong one edge, each of said strips being portion. 10 again bent longitudinally to dispose one In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, folded edge of each strip at an angle to the in presence of two witnesses.

5 opposite edge of each folded strip, one angle CLARENCE P. FLORA. portion'being' disposed against one side of the Witnesses:

ox and the opposite angle portion being dis- GEORGE OLTSOH,

posed against the corresponding end of the i G. M. COLE. 

